Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 245 - 246 

WILLIS B. POWELL, editor of the Colwich Courier, is conducting this paper with signal ability and success, and holds a prominent position among the young journalists of the West, none of whom have better prospects for a brilliant future in their chosen career.

      Otho J. and Sophia (Smith) Powell, the parents of our subject, are natives respectively of Maryland and Ohio.  In early life the father learned the trade of a cooper, and followed it for a few years in his native State.  While yet a young man he moved to Ohio, and located in Upper Sandusky.  Subsequently he embarked in a newspaper enterprise, and in 1866 became editor and proprietor of the Pioneer, a paper published in that place.  Later he removed to Wapakoneta, and there edited and published the Auglaize County Republican.  After spending ten years there he moved to Chicago Junction, in Huron County, and became manager of the Chicago Junction Herald.  Eighteen months later the town was visited by a disastrous conflagration, which so crippled business that he moved to Garrett, Ind., where he is now successfully editing and publishing the Garrett Herald, and is also proprietor of an extensive book-store.

      W.B. Powell, the subject of this brief biographical sketch, was born in Wapakoneta, Ohio, April 12, 1868.  We might say he was nourished on "pi," as at the very youthful age of eight years he took a stool at the compositor's case, and thus in early life became an expert in type-setting, and also well versed in the duties of a newspaper office.  His education was mainly received in the printing-office, where he has acquired a vast fund of general information.  He has been engaged on various papers as compositor, reporter, etc.  Being possessed of an energetic spirit, good executive ability, and an excellent judgment, he determined to establish himself permanently in some literary capacity, and accordingly in 1886 came to Kansas as offering a fair field for journalists.  After a few months' newspaper work in Hutchinson and Haven, he founded the Colwich Courier, a five-column quarto sheet, devoted to the current news of the day, both foreign and local; in politics it is independent.  Though newly established, the first number having been issued in April, 1887, it has already attained a good circulation.  It is a bright, spicy paper and the editor being a versatile writer, it is eagerly sought by the intelligent reading public, and its articles are clipped by exchanges throughout the State.

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